Straightening apparatus

ABSTRACT

Apparatus for straightening elongate flexible materials such as wires and the like for use with an apparatus in the production of such wires including a tensioning device for engaging at least one end of the flexible material while driving that end outwardly until the flexible material has been drawn taut whereby the taut wire trips switching means to stop the driving of the end outwardly, and the length of the flexible material is engaged by gripping means of a conveyor system for further conveying in the apparatus.

[191 [111 3,910,321 McKeever Oct. 7, 1975 3,530,746 9/1970 Gudmestad......i.,....,............81/951 Inventor: Carl Mc'Keever, Kendallville, Ind.

Primary ExaminerLowell A. Larson Lyall Electric, Inc., Albion, Incl.

Sept. 9, 1974 [57] ABSTRACT PP 504,344 Apparatus for straightening elongate flexible materials such as wires and the like for use with an apparatus in 140/147. 29/200 29/203 P the production of such wires including a tensioning Int. Cl. inn 1/02 device engaging least end flexible 140/147 25451. terial while driving that end outwardly until the flexi- 81/951. 198/234. 83/175. 29km) A 203 ble material has been drawn taut whereby the taut wire trips switching means to stop the driving of the Referencs Cited end outwardly, and the length of the flexible material is engaged by gripping means of a conveyor system for UNITED STATES PATENTS further conveying in the apparatus.

6/1963 Houda, Jr. 254/51 2/1969 6 9/46 15 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures United States Patent STRAIGHTENING APPARATUS [73] Assignee:

[22] Filed:

[58] Field of Search ill In. 96 5 2e,

lllllll US. Patent Oct. 7,1975 Sheet 2 of4 3,910,321

US. Patent Oct. 7,1975 Sheet 3 of4 3,910,321

U.S. Patent Oct. 7,1975 Sheet4 of4 3,910,321

STRAIGHTENING APPARATUS The present invention relates to an apparatus for drawing taut a length of flexible material, such as a lead wire or the like, and is particularly well suited for use in combination with an apparatus for automatically processing wire into electrical leads.

In copending application Ser. No. 493,273, filed July 31, 1974, and entitled Method and Apparatus For Making Lengths of Flexible Material, there is described an apparatus for processing elongate lengths of flexible material such as insulated wire in which wire is drawn from a reel and fed intermittently into the apparatus wherein it is cut off into lengths and gripped with the ends of the cut off lengths a fixed distance apart. After the wire is cut off and gripped, it is moved along the apparatus is indexed steps to permit work operations to be performed on at. least one end of the wire. The work operations may consist of stripping the insu lation from at least one end of the wire and applying a terminal thereto. When .the leads have been completely processed, the leads are delivered to a receiving station where they are counted and discharged from the apparatus in batches of a predetermined number. These batches can then be tied together for storage or shipping.

As is described in the foregoing application, prior to the time that the lead wires or like elements of flexible material are discharged, they are straightened to remove a loop or the like from the center of the lead wire. After the lead wire has been straightened, it is bent over a bar forming a portion of the discharge means to facilitate discharge of the wire from the apparatus. One suitable discharge means which can be used in the practice of this invention is described in my copending application Ser. No. 493,274, filed July 31, 1974, and entitled Conveyor System for Lengths of Flexible Material. The present invention relates to a straightening apparatus which can be used in combination with the apparatus described in the foregoing copending applications.

It is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for straightening lengths of flexi ble material such as lead wires and the like which can readily be incorporated with an automatic wire processing machine whereby the lead wires can be handled rapidly and in large numbers.

It is another object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for straightening lengths of flexible material which is capable of automatic operation, and which is compact and reliable in operation.

These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will appear more fully hereinafter, and for purposes of illustration, and not of limitation, an embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a schematic plan view of an apparatus embodying the features of the present invention, illustrating the relationship of the straightening apparatus of this invention with respect to a wire processing machine;

FIG. 2 is a plan view in elevation of the straightening apparatus embodying the features of this invention;

FIG. 3 is a top view of the apparatus shown in FIG.

FIG. 4 is a side view of the apparatus shown in FIGS, 2 and 3;

FIG. 5 is a detailed view of the apparatus shown in FIG. 4.

The concepts of the present invention reside in an apparatus for straightening lengths of flexible material such as lead wires and the like which can be used in combination with an apparatus as described in the foregoing copending applications. In these applications, there are described a cam-head assembly and means for feeding a continuous length of flexible material thereto. In the cam-head assembly, as is more fully described in copending application Ser. No. 493,273, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference, the continuous length of flexible material supplied to the cam-head assembly is cut into predetermined lengths.

As is described in copending application Ser. No. 493.274, there is provided an elongate conveyor formed of a pair of spaced parallel conveying means adapted to be displaced longitudinally, with the conveying means having mounted thereon a plurality of gripping means positioned to successively receive lengths of flexible material from the cam-head assembly. Lengths of flexible material cut to the desired length in the cam-head assembly are thus supplied to the conveying means and are advanced by the conveying means over the length of the apparatus in an intermittent or indexed fashion to permit various work operations to be performed on the length of flexible material.

After the last work operation, such as the application of a terminal to one end of a lead wire has been completed, the lead wire is straightened in preparation for discharge from the apparatus. The present invention is concerned with the apparatus for straightening such lead wires of like lengths of flexible material.

The apparatus of the present invention includes a pair of driven rollers fixed adjacent to the elongate conveyor. Mounted above the fixed rollers are a pair of cooperating free-wheeling rollers mounted for reciprocation so as to engage at least one end of the length of flexible material between the free-wheeling rollers and the driven rollers. As the free-wheeling rollers are reciprocated to engage the length of flexible material between the free-wheeling rollers and the driven rollers, the driven rollers advance the lengths of flexible material outwardly to draw taut the length of flexible material, preferably at both ends thereof. In this way, the ends of the length of flexible material are drawn taut between the driven and free-wheeling rollers.

The apparatus of the present invention also includes means to release the lengths of flexible material from the gripping means on which they are carried on the conveying system prior to the time that the freewheeling rollers engage the ends of the length of flexible material with the driven rollers. Limit switch means are provided to sense the drawing taut of the length of flexible material whereby the length of flexible mate rial, after it has been straightened, is re-engaged with the gripping means for discharge from the apparatus.

Having described the basic concepts of the present invention, reference is now made to the accompanying drawings for a detailed description of the invention. As is shown in FIG. 1, the apparatus includes feed means generally referred to as 10 in the drawings which serve to supply a continuous length of flexible material 12 to a cam-head assembly generally referred to as 14 in the drawing. The details as to the feed means 10 and the cam-head assembly are more fully described in copend ing application Ser. No. 498,274.

The flexible material 12 advanced to the cam-head assembly 14, is cut to the desired length and then is gripped by means of a plurality of gripping means 16 which are mounted on an endless conveyor 18. As is shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and of the drawing, the endless conveyor is formed by a pair of spaced conveyor chains 20 and 22 which extend over the length of the apparatus. Each of the chains 20 and 22 is mounted on a pair of parallel spaced rails 24 which serve to support and guide the endless chains 20 and 22 over the length of the apparatus. As is perhaps most clearly shown in FIG. 5 of the drawing, the chains 20 and 22 are also provided with a plurality of gripping means 16 fixed on the chains 20 and 22 and adapted to grip lengths of flexible material so that the lengths of flexible material can be conveyed with the conveyor system. The gripping means, as shown in FIG. 5 of the drawing, include a body portion mounted on the chains 20 and 22. The body portion includes a notch 32 adapted to receive a cross section of the length of flexible material to retain the length of flexible material in a gripping relationship. The gripping means 16 also include a gripping lever generally designated as 34 in FIG. 5, having an anvil configuration and being pivotally mounted on the body member 30. The gripping lever includes an arcuate member 36 toward its rear portion adapted to engage the cross section of the length of flexible material when the latter is positioned in the notch 32 of the body portion 30. While it is not illustrated in this drawing, spring means is provided for the gripping means 16 to constantly urge the lever member 34 toward a gripping position with the length of flexible material positioned in the notch 32. In this way, a downward force exerted on the upper surface of the gripping lever operates to pivot the lever member 34 in a direction away from engagement with the cross section of a length of flexible material 12 positioned in the notch 32 to thereby release the length of flexible material from the gripping means 16.

Thus, in operation, a length of flexible material which has been cut to the predetermined length is engaged by the gripping members 16 as it is discharged from the cam-head assembly 14.

As the length of flexible material has been engaged in a gripping relationship with the gripping means 16, the chains 20 and 22 with the gripping means mounted thereon, are advanced over the rails 24 by an indexing drive (not illustrated in the drawing) such that the conveyor chains 20 and 22 move in a step-wise or incremental fashion, controlled by control means 11 to insure that the gripping means 16 on the chains 20 and 22 are in registry with the work stations.

The work stations may include a trim station 50, if desired, although in the preferred practice, the trim station is not employed, a stripping station 52, a terminal application station 54, and the straightening station 56. At these various stations, the lengths of flexible material, such as an insulated wire, can be trimmed, stripped, have a terminal affixed thereto and straightened, as illustrated in FIGS. la through 1e inclusive.

The straightening station, which forms the present invention, is shown in greater detail in FIGS. 2-5 of the present invention. As shown in these figures, the straightening station 56 includes a frame formed of a pair of vertical supports 26 and an overhead horizontal support 28 mounted above the conveying chains 20 and 22 with the gripping means 16 mounted thereon. Positioned adjacent to the conveyor, including chains 20 and 22 and the rails 24, are a pair of driven rollers 60 and 62 mounted on L-shaped brackets 64 and 66, respectively. Driven rollers 60 and 62 are driven by, for example, belt means 68, which are in turn driven by a motor 69 or the like. As is shown by the arrows in FIG. 2, the driven rollers 60 and 62 are driven in opposite directions, with the roller 60 being driven in a clockwise direction and roller 62 being driven in a counterclockwise direction, that is outwardly from the adjacent chains 20 and 22, respectively.

As is shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 of the drawing, the rollers 60 and 62 are preferably formed with a cylindrical portion 70 and an integral conical portion 72. In this way, as the length of flexible material 12 engaged with the gripping means 16 is advanced toward the rollers 60 and 62 as shown in FIG. 5, the conical surface of the portion 72 of roller 60 insures that the end of the length of flexible material 12 is guided upwardly over the conical surface of the conical portion 72 to the interior peripheral surface of the cylindrical portion 70 of driven roller 60.

As is perhaps most clearly shown in FIG. 2 of the drawing, mounted on the horizontal support 28 are a pair of free-wheeling rollers 74 and 76 adapted to be reciprocated so that, when reciprocated in a downward direction, the peripheral edges of free-wheeling 74 and 76 are in tangential contact with the cylindrical portion 70 of rollers 60 and 62, respectively. For this purpose,

rollers 74 and 76 are rotatably mounted on a T-bar 78 having a horizontal portion 80 pivotally mounted on a vertical support member 82. The vertical support member 82 is operatively connected to a crank 84 which is in turn connected to a 2-position clutch 86. As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, as the 2-position clutch 86 is actuated to rotate, the crank 84 eccentrically connected thereto operates to displace the T-bar 78 and the horizontal member 80 downwardly. When the clutch is again actuated, the crank 84 operates to raise the T-bar 78 to the position shown by broken lines in FIG. 2. In this way, on actuation of the clutch 86, the T-bar 78 is displaced downwardly so that the free wheeling rollers 74 and 76 exert a pressure on the length of flexible material 12 and thereby engage the length of flexible material 12 between the freewheeling rollers 74 and 76, and the driven rollers 60 and 62, respectively. Since each of the driven rollers 60 and 62 is driven in a direction outwardly from the center of the apparatus, the length of flexible material 12 in pressuring engagement between the rollers is displaced outwardly to the position as shown in FIG. 2, to thereby straighten the length of flexible material.

The apparatus includes locking means to insure that the T-bar 78 is secured in either the raised or lowered position. One suitable locking means which can be employed in the practice of this invention is shown in FIG. 4 of the drawing. As is shown in this figure, the vertical support member 82 includes a pair of detents 88 and 90 formed in the interior surface thereof. There is provided a ball bearing or the like 91 which is biased outwardly by spring means 92 mounted on the horizontal support 28 whereby the ball 91 is adapted to engage the detent 88 when the T-bar 78 and the corresponding vertical support member 82 are in the lowered position and detent 90 when the T-bar 78 is in the raised position.

The apparatus-of the present invention also includes I engagement with the gripping means 16 to thereby pering-gripping means to grip lengths. of flexible material,- means to release the length of flexible materiali from I mit the length of flexible material- 12 to'be drawn taut between'the driven and free-wheeling rollers: As is shown in the drawings, theapparatus-includes:lever means '94 and 96 mounted on the horizontal support material 12 fromthe notch 32'. As 'is'perhaps' mostclearly shown in FIG. 2, the lever means 94 is=associends .of the length.offlexiblefmaterial therebetweenv ated with the conveyor'a'n'd the lever means 96 is associated with the conveyor 22 to therebyinsui'e'that both ends of the length of flexiblematerial"12*are re leased simultaneously. In this way; 'as' the 2-position' clutch 86 is actuated to lower the T-bar 78 toward'pressure engagement with the length of flexible material 12 between the free-wheeling rollers 74 and 76, and the driven rollers 60 and 62, respectively, the gripping means 16 securing the length of flexible material to the conveyor chains 20 and 22 are opened simultaneously to permit the length of flexible material 12 to be drawn taut.

The apparatus of this invention may also include, if desired, various guide means. For example, as is hown in FIG. 2 of the drawing, the T-bar 78 may include at least one indicator rod 98 as an indication that the T-bar 78 is in the down position. As is shown in FIG. 2, the indicator rod 98 is fixed to the T-bar 78 and includes a cam member 100 associated with a switch 102 whereby the switch 102 is activated when the T-bar 78 is lowered to the engaged position, thereby locking the conveyor to prevent inadvertent movement of the conveyor while the length of flexible material 12 is secured between the driven and free-wheeling rollers.

The apparatus also includes means to sense that the length of flexible material 12 has been drawn taut. The sensing means is perhaps most clearly shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 of the drawing. As shown in these figures, there is provided an L-shaped bracket 104 extending forward of the horizontal support 28 on which there is mounted an elongate sensing bar 106 which is pivotally fixed to the support 104 at 108. As is shown in FIG. 5, as the length of flexible 12 is drawn taut and the bowed-out portion thereof is eliminated, the sensing rod 106 which overlaps the length of flexible material 12 is raised to thereby open contacts 110 and 112 of a limit switch 114. In this way, as soon as the lengthof flexible material 12 has been drawn taut, the limit switch is open thereby causing the control system of the apparatus to raise the cross bar 80 and release the length of flexible material from engagement between the freewheeling rollers and simultaneously release the means 94 holding open the gripping means. Thus, the length of flexible material 12 is released by the rollers of the straightening device and simultaneously regripped or re-engaged by the gripping means 16 for subsequent conveyance past the straightening station for discharge from the apparatus.

It will be understood that various changes and modifications can be made in the detail, construction and use without departing from the spirit of the invention, especially as defined in the following claims.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for straightening lengths of flexible material comprising an elongate conveyor means includa pair ofspaced driven {rollers rnounted adjacentto the conveyor means, aspairof corresponding rollers mounted above the driven rollers, saidpair of corresponding-rollers adapted to be displaced toward the driven rollers to engage the ends of the length of flexible'material and means to displa ce'said pair, of corresponding rollers toward the driven rollersto engage the whereby" ends of th'e'length of flexible material are drawn outwardly between the'rollers to draw taut the length of flexible material.

2. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein the gripping means "rele'asably securethe' length of flexible material, and the apparatus includes means to release the I leng'thof' flexible material from the gripping vmeans when' said pair of corresponding rollers are displaced toward the driven rollers. v

3. Apparatus as defined in claim 2 wherein the means to displace said pair of corresponding rollers includes an inverted T-bar mounted for reciprocation, with said pair of corresponding rollers being rotatably mounted on the T-bar, and means to reciprocate the T-bar.

4. Apparatus as defined in claim 3 wherein the means to reciprocate the T-bar includes a bell crank operatively connected with the T-bar.

5. Apparatus as defined in claim 3 wherein the means to release the length of flexible material from the gripping means is mounted on the T-bar.

6. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 which includes means to sense when the length of flexible material has been drawn taut whereby said pair of corresponding rollers are displaced away from the driven rollers.

7. Apparatus as defined in claim 6 wherein the means to sense when the length of flexible material has been drawn taut includes an elongate sensing arm extending between the pair of driven rollers whereby the length of flexible material, as it is drawn taut, operates to raise the sensing bar, and control means operatively connected with the sensing bar to displace said pair of corresponding rollers away from the driven rollers when the sensing bar has been raised by the length of flexible material.

8. Apparatus for the manufacture of predetermined lengths of flexible material comprising cam-head means to supply predetermined lengths of flexible material directly from a continuous length of flexible material, elongate conveyor means positioned to receive lengths of flexible material from the cam-head means, said elongate conveyor means including gripping means to grip lengths of flexible material, a plurality of work stations positioned along the elongate conveying means and adapted to perform work operations on the lengths of flexible material, means to straighten the lengths of flexible material after the last of said work stations, said straightening means including a pair of spaced driven rollers mounted adjacent to the conveyor means, a pair of corresponding rollers mounted above the driven rollers, said pair of corresponding rollers adapted to be displaced toward the driven rollers to engage the ends of the length of flexible material and means to displace said pair of corresponding rollers toward the driven rollers to engage the ends of the length of flexible material therbetween whereby ends of the length of flexible material are drawn outwardly between the rollers to draw taut the length of flexible material.

9. Apparatus as defined in claim 8 wherein the gripping means releasably secure the length of flexible material, and the apparatus includes means to release the length of flexible material from the gripping means when said pair of corresponding rollers are displaced toward the driven rollers.

10. Apparatus as defined in claim 8 wherein the means to displace said pair of corresponding rollers includes an inverted T-bar mounted for reciprocation, with said pair of corresponding rollers being rotatably mounted on the T-bar, and means to reciprocate the T-bar.

11. Apparatus as defined in claim 8 wherein the means to reciprocate the T-bar includes a bell crank operatively connected with the T-bar.

12. Apparatus as defined in claim 8 wherein the means to release the length of flexible material from the gripping means is mounted on the T-bar.

13. Apparatus as defined in claim 8 which includes means to sense when the length of flexible material has been drawn taut whereby said pair of corresponding rollers are displaced away from the driven rollers.

14. Apparatus as defined in claim 8 wherein the means to sense when the length of flexible material has been drawn taut includes an elongate sensing arm extending between the pair of driven rollers whereby the length of flexible material, as it is drawn taut, operates to raise the sensing bar, and control means operatively connected with the sensing bar to displace said pair of corresponding rollers away from the driven rollers when the sensing bar has been raised by the length of flexible material.

15. Apparatus as defined in claim 8 which includes means to discharge the straightened length of flexible material. 

1. Apparatus for straightening lengths of flexible material comprising an elongate conveyor means including gripping means to grip lengths of flexible material, a pair of spaced driven rollers mounted adjacent to the conveyor means, a pair of corresponding rollers mounted above the driven rollers, said pair of corresponding rollers adapted to be displaced toward the driven rollers to engage the ends of the length of flexible material and means to displace said pair of corresponding rollers toward the driven rollers to engage the ends of the length of flexible material therebetween whereby ends of the length of flexible material are drawn outwardly between the rollers to draw taut the length of flexible material.
 2. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein the gripping means releasably secure the length of flexible material, and the apparatus includes means to release the length of flexible material from the gripping means when said pair of corresponding rollers are displaced toward the driven rollers.
 3. Apparatus as defined in claim 2 wherein the means to displace said pair of corresponding rollers includes an inverted T-bar mounted for reciprocation, with said pair of corresponding rollers being rotatably mounted on the T-bar, and means to reciprocate the T-bar.
 4. Apparatus as defined in claim 3 wherein the means to reciprocate the T-bar includes a bell crank operatively connected with the T-bar.
 5. Apparatus as defined in claim 3 wherein the means to release the length of flexible material from the gripping means is mounted on the T-bar.
 6. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 which includes means to sense when the length of flexible material Has been drawn taut whereby said pair of corresponding rollers are displaced away from the driven rollers.
 7. Apparatus as defined in claim 6 wherein the means to sense when the length of flexible material has been drawn taut includes an elongate sensing arm extending between the pair of driven rollers whereby the length of flexible material, as it is drawn taut, operates to raise the sensing bar, and control means operatively connected with the sensing bar to displace said pair of corresponding rollers away from the driven rollers when the sensing bar has been raised by the length of flexible material.
 8. Apparatus for the manufacture of predetermined lengths of flexible material comprising cam-head means to supply predetermined lengths of flexible material directly from a continuous length of flexible material, elongate conveyor means positioned to receive lengths of flexible material from the cam-head means, said elongate conveyor means including gripping means to grip lengths of flexible material, a plurality of work stations positioned along the elongate conveying means and adapted to perform work operations on the lengths of flexible material, means to straighten the lengths of flexible material after the last of said work stations, said straightening means including a pair of spaced driven rollers mounted adjacent to the conveyor means, a pair of corresponding rollers mounted above the driven rollers, said pair of corresponding rollers adapted to be displaced toward the driven rollers to engage the ends of the length of flexible material and means to displace said pair of corresponding rollers toward the driven rollers to engage the ends of the length of flexible material therbetween whereby ends of the length of flexible material are drawn outwardly between the rollers to draw taut the length of flexible material.
 9. Apparatus as defined in claim 8 wherein the gripping means releasably secure the length of flexible material, and the apparatus includes means to release the length of flexible material from the gripping means when said pair of corresponding rollers are displaced toward the driven rollers.
 10. Apparatus as defined in claim 8 wherein the means to displace said pair of corresponding rollers includes an inverted T-bar mounted for reciprocation, with said pair of corresponding rollers being rotatably mounted on the T-bar, and means to reciprocate the T-bar.
 11. Apparatus as defined in claim 8 wherein the means to reciprocate the T-bar includes a bell crank operatively connected with the T-bar.
 12. Apparatus as defined in claim 8 wherein the means to release the length of flexible material from the gripping means is mounted on the T-bar.
 13. Apparatus as defined in claim 8 which includes means to sense when the length of flexible material has been drawn taut whereby said pair of corresponding rollers are displaced away from the driven rollers.
 14. Apparatus as defined in claim 8 wherein the means to sense when the length of flexible material has been drawn taut includes an elongate sensing arm extending between the pair of driven rollers whereby the length of flexible material, as it is drawn taut, operates to raise the sensing bar, and control means operatively connected with the sensing bar to displace said pair of corresponding rollers away from the driven rollers when the sensing bar has been raised by the length of flexible material.
 15. Apparatus as defined in claim 8 which includes means to discharge the straightened length of flexible material. 